This invention relates to a lubrication means, particularly adapted for lubricating and cooling the pinion bearings of a differential.
Conventional differentials for vehicles, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,483, comprise a pair of face gears and a plurality of pinion gears intermeshed between the face gears for permitting relative rotation therebetween. The pinion gears are each rotatably mounted in bearings which are subjected to considerable loads during operation of the differential. Various pumps have been proposed for use in conjunction with differentials for lubricating and cooling the various bearing assemblies thereof. For example, gear and vane type pumps are directionally limited to thus prevent adequate lubrication of such bearing assemblies during a reverse operation of a vehicle, for example. Likewise, single-acting pumps have various deficiencies, such as the inability to assure adequate lubrication to the bearing assemblies during low speed operation of a vehicle.